Former F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has criticised modern F1, singling out the “restrictive” rules and drivers who “think racing is like playing with Lego."

Villeneuve, who beat Michael Schumacher to win the 1997 title for Williams, made his comments to the Schwetzinger Zeitung newspaper, and did not mince his words when assessing the current state of the sport.

"The rules are too restrictive. I have always regarded Formula One as an extreme sport, but not really anymore," said Villeneuve, whose legendary father Gilles lost his life in qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix.

"The sport is no longer pure enough, because of the rules. Everything has become much too artificial," he continued. "The drivers no longer have to make a real effort.”

James Weeks

James is a freelance motorsport writer who has covered international and domestic championships in print and for the web. He has reported from the British Grand Prix and Le Mans 24 Hours and forgotten more about Formula 1 than was worth knowing in the first place.